In many textile operations it is necessary to lift and load bobbins of yarn onto various bobbin-mounting structures. For instance filling pin racks, pin trucks, and warper creels all have bobbin supporting pins. In order to place a full bobbin into operative association with the pins, it is necessary to lift the bobbin, rotate it into a position in which it is in alignment with the pin, and then place the bobbin over the pin. Textile facilities typically employ women operators to perform the bobbin loading operations.
Many bobbin loading operations can be performed manually without significant difficulties. However some bobbins that are conventionally utilized are too heavy to be safely and effectively lifted, transported, and loaded by hand. For instance twister bobbins loaded onto warper creels often have weights in excess of 20 pounds, and lifting and loading of the bobbins by female operators into a warper creel at heights ranging from 12 inches to 84 inches is impractical. Therefore it is desirable to have an aide to facilitate manual lifting, transporting, and loading of bobbins onto warper creels, or like structures.
According to the present invention, an apparatus is provided which enables large fiberglass twister bobbins to be practically handled by female operators and lifted, transported, and loaded onto warper creel pins or the like. The apparatus according to the invention comprises a bridle which is connected to a powered lifting device, such as a crane or a lift truck. The controls for the lifting device are readily accessible to the operator, such as being provided at a position just above the hook for the lifting device which engages the bridle.
The bridle is pivotally connected to a generally semi-circular open body which receives a bobbin. The body typically is formed of sheet metal, and is pivotally connected to the bridle for rotation about a horizontal axis, with the axis being disposed slightly above the bobbin-body combination center of gravity. A lug connected to the body stops the movement of the body in a position in which it extends vertically.
Extending from the body and in alignment therewith is a yoke, the yoke terminating in a generally semi-circular termination which is dimensioned to be disposed in the groove in a bobbin nose. A handle is connected to the yoke and extends away from the end termination, and then at an acute angle with respect to the dimension of elongation of the body and yoke.
An operator may simply and effectively utilize the device to lift, transport, and load bobbins first by, while the body and yoke are disposed in a generally vertical position, moving them sideways into operative association with a bobbin so that the device body receives the bobbin body, and the yoke is disposed in the groove of the bobbin nose, and then controlling the powered lift to lift the bobbin vertically upwardly to a desired transporting position. Lifting of the yoke effects lifting of the bobbin due to the inter-engagement between the yoke and the bobbin nose groove. Then using the handle, the operator pivots the body and yoke approximately 90.degree. about the horizontal axis while controlling the powered lift to move the bobbin to a mounting position. The bobbin is moved over a generally horizontally extending pin (such as a creel pin) at the mounting position, and then lift is controlled, and the handle is manipulated, to move the device body and yoke downwardly out of engagement with the bobbin, and then away from the bobbin. In this way with a minimum of physical exertion, and with maximum safety, an operator can efficiently load even heavy bobbins.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for facilitating effective lifting, transportation, and loading of bobbins and the like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.